Lithuania to deploy troops at Kaliningrad border for several weeks

Lithuania will deploy troops for the next several weeks to reinforce security on its border with Russia’s Kaliningrad region, Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas said, LRT reported.

Kaunas said on Wednesday that he had approved the deployment in response to a request from Interior Minister Martynas Katelynas. The order would take effect immediately, he said.

Katelynas said the situation at the border was calm and described the military support as a preventive measure. He said the decision followed an incident on the Latvian border and an assessment of regional security, including indications that Russia could announce mobilization.

Kaunas said the border was being reinforced amid signs of a possible increase in the arrival of foreigners with aggressive intentions if mobilization is announced in Russia.

Latvia’s National Armed Forces said at least 20 irregular migrants, led by masked escorts, tried to cross the Latvian-Belarusian border earlier this week. The military described the attempt as unusually demonstrative and aggressive, saying armed smugglers threatened soldiers and pushed the group towards Latvia.

Hours later, masked people entered Latvian territory, damaged an electrical distribution panel and stole video cameras, the Latvian military said. They had returned to Belarus before border guards arrived.

Lithuania’s State Border Guard Service reported no irregular migrants at its border with Belarus in the previous 24 hours. Latvian border guards turned back 21 migrants on Tuesday. Katelynas said earlier on Wednesday that such incidents were concerning but that Lithuania was prepared to respond.